


Those Bastards

by lupus



Series: Prompts, Please! [5]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 15:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8494837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lupus/pseuds/lupus
Summary: for the tumblr prompt: during his senior year, Bitty attracts the attention of a NHL team. Only problem is, it's not the Falconers. It's the Bruins.





	

When NHL scouts came to a few games Bitty’s senior year, Bitty really wasn’t surprised. What surprised Bitty was that they were there for _him_.

He’d thought at first maybe they were scouting Chowder early. Jack had started looking into teams and vice versa his junior year and went to a few prospect camps the following summer. Chowder was an amazing goalie and had been a huge part of their success the past few years. And he’d been a starting goalie as a _freshman_ and had continued to grow and get even better as the seasons went on. Jack had even mentioned in passing that George and the Falconers had been keeping an eye on Chowder, Bitty had no doubt that other teams were doing the same.

So when a scout approached _Bitty_ after a game, all he could do was gape at the woman and nod and tuck her business card into his pocket.

“We’ve been watching you play, especially over the last year and a half,” She’d said, which was pretty much when Bitty nearly fainted. “You’ve really grown as a player and we think, between your speed and skill you could be quite the asset to our team.”

She’d handed him that card with her name, phone number, and email and told him to be in touch either way.

“I know you’ll probably get other offers, but at least consider coming to camp.”

Bitty had thanked her politely, still in awe, and collapsed against the wall behind him, heart racing.

 

* * *

 

 

Naturally, the first thing he did was call Jack.

“Um. She was from the Bruins,” Bitty choked out.

“Those _bastards_ ,” Jack muttered on the other end of the line, but Bitty knew him well enough that he heard the smile in Jack’s voice. “George was going to wait until after winter break to gauge your interest, but those Boston bastards got to you first.”

Bitty sputtered, “wha – gauge my interest in what?”

“In playing for the Falcs of course, or I supposed the NHL in general” Jack said, like it was the literal most obvious thing in the world. Which only made Bitty sputter more.

“I…what? How? Why? I don’t understand!”

“Bits,” Jack said, voice growing serious. “I don’t think you understand how good you are, how much you’ve grown since freshman year. You’re easily the fasted player in the NCAA right now and you’re one of the top leaders in points. And you guys have been having an amazing season. Did you seriously not expect some sort of professional teams to look at you?”

“No! Not at all!” Bitty said, incredulous. “I was thinking Chowder for sure, hell even Dex, but me? No way. Maybe some AHL teams in my weirdest, wildest dreams. But the Bruins Jack. _The Bruins_.”

“You really have to stop underestimating yourself, Bits,” Jack said, voice warm. “Everyone else has already realized how amazing you are.”

“What…what do I do?” Bitty asked, feeling lost. “I…I am in no way prepared for any of this.”

“Let the Boston scout know how appreciative you are of her offer and that you’re thinking it over and will get in touch when you’re ready to talk it over more. From there, if you want an agent, I can get you in touch with mine if you’d like.”

“Okay…”

“Just sleep on it, Bitty,” Jack reassured. “Give it some time, let it sit. I’m sure the boys will help you too, Ransom will send you an entire and intricately made pro/con list if you ask him. You know he will.

“Oh, and also – feel free to call my dad. Though I’m sure he may be a little biased about it.”

 

* * *

 

Bad Bob is a hell of a lot more than a little biased.

He pretty much whoops on the other end of the line after Bitty calls him and explains what happened.

“I’m glad to know the people in recruiting have some sense in them,” Bob says. “They were probably trying to pounce before Providence did. If the rest of the NHL knows what’s good for them, they don’t want to see you and Jack on the same line again. You’d kick too much ass. They’re smart to try to snatch you up early.”

Bitty honestly cannot believe his ears. The man, the myth, the legend (the “hopefully future father in law”) Bad Bob Zimmermann, former captain of the Bruins himself, was calling the Bruins _smart_ for attempting to recruit Bitty. It had seriously been a day.

“Listen, I absolutely loved that team, being traded to Montreal was pretty bittersweet. It’s a good organization and from what I’ve seen lately a really solid group of guys. I’ll help you find an agent if you’d like – or you can just use Jack’s. Definitely talk to them, but not until you have an agent. I think you could be great for the Bruins, bring some fresh energy and some spunk. And I know when you and Jack decide to go public they’ll be supportive as well.”

“Thanks Bob. I have a feeling I’m going to be asking you a million questions over these next few months, I hope you don’t mind,” Eric says sheepishly.

“Of course not, son! I’m excited for you. You deserve this.”

 

* * *

 

 

He skyped his parents last, which may have been a little out of order, but still.

Mama cried, which almost made Bitty cry and Coach was so visibly proud of Bitty _that_ also almost made him cry.

His father told Bitty to send him any contracts any NHL team sent him and he’d score them over like he did for his high schoolers signing for colleges.

“Oh _honey,_ ” Mama said, still blubbering a little. “I can’t even believe this. Our son. A professional hockey player! When you texted me to say you had news, I thought maybe Jack had proposed or something.”

“ _Mama!_ ” Bitty gasped, flushing. “I’m still in college! Jack isn’t gonna...we haven’t even talked – okay we haven’t talked about it seriously. Oh my lord.”

Bitty buried his – surely beet red – face in his hands as his father chuckled.

“Well, your mama and I got married pretty soon after college. And we feel like it’s only a matter of time.”

“Goodness, we are not talking about this right now!” Bitty squeaks, and his parents laugh.

If he told high school, hell even freshman Bitty, that one day he’d be skyping his parents about his possible NHL prospects while they chirped him about his _boyfriend_ , Jack Zimmermann, well…it seemed lots of unbelievable things had happened to Bitty these past few years.

 

* * *

 

He’s at Jack’s the weekend after The Incident and they’re relaxing after a dinner they made together on one of Jack’s very few nights off. As they’re talking about anything and everything, Bitty finds a way to casually slip in that he’d like to talk to Jack’s agent about talking to the Bruins.

Jack immediately sends Bitty his agent’s number and gives Bitty advice on meetings with prospective NHL teams.

“You don’t have to decide anything right away and to be honest, I’d give it a while so you not only know the contract through and through but also to see if anyone else has offers for you. But most importantly, make this decision for yourself and what’s best for you and not anyone else. I love you Bits. And I’m so proud of you and how far you’ve come.”

“Oh honey,” Bitty threw himself at Jack as his boyfriend opened his arms to catch Bitty in a crushing hug. “What did I ever do to deserve you.”

Jack chuckled softly, “I pretty much think the same thing every day, you know.”

“How do we always manage to get so sappy, we are honestly the grossest,” Bitty said pulling away to face Jack.

“If everything goes well, you’re welcome to stay here again this summer and then I can help you find somewhere to stay in Boston during camp, maybe with Shitty? Then if you go to our development camp, you could obviously just stay with me, we can even carpool ‘cause I’ll be helping out. I’ll even run you through drills like it’s your frog year all over again, for old times sake,” Jack’s eyes were shining with silent mischief.

Bitty playfully pushed at Jack’s shoulder, “you think you’re so clever.”

“But um, either way,” Jack’s face grew serious. “I’ve wanted to talk to you about this for some time now and I guess this all coming up is kinda the perfect opportunity. But, regardless of your choice – whether it’s the Bruins or it’s the Falcs, or it’s no team at all – I was wondering if you’d want to move in with me after you graduate?

“I know it’s a big step, but I think we’re ready? I know I’m ready. And I was thinking – while I love this apartment – if you choose the Bruins and if you sign with them, we could maybe get a house together in a small suburb that’s fairly equidistant between the cities? One with a couple bedrooms and a big backyard and we could get a dog or a cat or both. Something we could grow into…together. I mean…if you want to.”

Bitty could honestly barely breathe at this point, and too overwhelmed to do anything else, he buried his face into the crook of Jack’s neck and let out a quiet, happy sob.

“Good lord, Jack. You never fail to amaze me with your big romantic gestures, you big romantic fool.”

Jack’s arms were back around him in a flash, Jack kissing the top of his head gently. After a few moments of Bitty’s sniffling settling down, Jack spoke.

“You know you didn’t quite give me an answer there, Bittle.”

“Oh, stop it you,” Bitty said, doing his best to level Jack with a glare, even though it was a weak one. “You know my answer is absolutely yes. Let’s start with this apartment first, then we’ll see how the next months go, but eventually I’d love to own a big, beautiful house with you, Jack Zimmermann.”

Jack kissed the tip of his nose.

“Good. We’ll figure it all out. ‘Til then, just take the rest of it one step at a time.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> as always, feel free to send me prompts over at [tumblr!](http://biharley.tumblr.com/)
> 
> if you'd like to reblog/share this on tumblr the ask post is [here](http://biharley.tumblr.com/post/152846590455) :)


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